An entrepreneurial Panxworth man has used his sports tech experience to help runners keep going in cold weather.

Ross Weir has invented running gloves that put climate control in the palm of the wearer’s hand.

To get the FLUX glove on the market, Ross is using Kickstarter to fund his project - with people interested in the idea paying a little online to help him afford the larger cost.

His patented invention is unique mesh that enables temperature regulation and moisture wicking. The gloves are also touch screen compatible and weigh less than 6g each.

“When it’s cold, every runner faces the same dilemma – how much gear to wear?” said Ross, who studied sports technology at university.

“Wear too much and you end up overheating, peeling off and carrying your kit. It breaks your rhythm. Wear too little, and the chill soon sets in.”

Keeping your hands warm while running is a common problem for people from new runners to professional athletes, added Ross.

Cold exposure rapidly shuts down warm blood flow to the extremities, resulting in painful or numb fingers. Too much insulation, however, and hands will quickly overheat and get sweaty.

A keen runner himself, Ross experimented with several prototypes, including electrically heated gloves, before establishing his innovative solution.

The insulation and exposure of the hand can be controlled by placing an air permeable mesh on the palm and opening and closing the fist. When held in a fist, the mesh is unexposed and the hand is well insulated. When the hand is open the mesh becomes fully exposed, releasing heat and moisture away from the palm. Before becoming too chilled, the hand can be closed again.

Ross has now made enough money through the Kickstarter campaign to launch the FLUX gloves and said anything extra was a real boost as it proved people were interested in his invention, not just the business idea.